About the Guest

Dr. Scott Sells is a family therapist, speaker, author, and leading expert in working with high-conflict teens and families experiencing significant emotional and behavioral challenges. With more than 30 years of experience, his work addresses concerns including depression, anxiety, aggression, substance use, technology addiction, and intense parent-teen power struggles. He is the author of the newly updated Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager, which provides families with concrete, step-by-step strategies for navigating extreme behaviors.

Introduction to the Conversation

What happens when your teenager seems to have completely checked out? Maybe they spend most of the day gaming, rarely leave their bedroom, stay up all night, or become angry and shut down whenever you try to talk about what is happening.

In this episode of The Child Psych Podcast, Tania Johnson speaks with Dr. Scott Sells about how parents can respond when traditional parenting strategies don’t seem to be working. Rather than focusing solely on the visible behavior, Dr. Sells encourages families to look beneath it and identify the emotional and relational “undercurrents” that may be contributing to the problem.

What We Discuss in This Episode

Dr. Sells introduces the concept of balanced parenting—or “love and limits”—which combines connection and nurturance with clear expectations and boundaries. The conversation explores teen gaming and technology use, anxiety and depression, family conflict, motivation, parent-child disconnection, and the importance of rebuilding relationships while still maintaining appropriate limits.

Tania and Dr. Sells also discuss practical strategies for reducing parent-teen power struggles, identifying emotional “buttons,” creating written expectations, practicing responses before conflict happens, and rebuilding a support village around struggling families.

What You’ll Learn

How to look beneath challenging teen behavior to identify what may be driving it

Why connection and correction can work together when parenting teens

Strategies for reducing arguments and parent-teen power struggles

How clear, written expectations can help families navigate technology and gaming limits

Why small relational “wins” can begin rebuilding motivation, trust, and connection

Who This Episode Is For

This episode is for parents and caregivers of teens struggling with gaming, screen use, anxiety, depression, aggression, isolation, or intense behavior, as well as therapists, educators, and mental health professionals supporting adolescents and their families. It offers a practical, hopeful approach for families who feel like they have tried everything and need a clearer path forward.